PAT: Hey, I’m building a gazebo on a cement slab that I had poured and want to put like terracotta tile down for the flooring[2]. You know, we get a lot of rain and a lot of snow up here. So, I was just wondering if there’s any prep I need to do or can I just put the (inaudible) or thick-set (ph) as the case may be and place the tile right on the cement.

LESLIE: Tom, is there any reason for concern with a terracotta tile out of doors in especially a freezing and thawing climate?

TOM: No, as long as it’s properly adhered and you use the right type of adhesive on this. I would be very careful to make sure that I don’t have any gaps under there where water can get in under it and cause the moisture to kind of freeze and expand and pop. I’d also be careful to use an unglazed terracotta here because it’s going to be slippery. But if you do that, I don’t see any reason you can’t use it outside. I’ve glued terracotta down to fiberglass decks on seashore houses that are in freezing climates and it works great.